Why Join the Y? Lots of Reasons

by Dianne Hart

LW contributor

In 1844, Sir George Williams founded the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in London. He was concerned about the lack of healthy activities for young men who moved to the cities during the Industrial Revolution and faced the temptations of alcohol, gambling and brothels. Philanthropists added their support, seeing Ys as places for wholesome recreation that would promote morality and good citizenship. No one was required to profess a belief in Christianity to be admitted.

In 1989, a group of Leisure World men started up the Y’s Men’s Club. It is now called the Y Service Club because these days, mostly women populate the ranks.

At the beginning of this century, the YMCA movement refocused on its roots and placed special emphasis on the Christian ideal of building a human community of justice with love, peace and reconciliation. Sharing Christian values and striving for the spiritual, intellectual and physical well-being of individuals and the wholeness of communities rose again to the top of the priority list. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and what you do for the least of those among you, you do for me—that message was passionately preached and comfortably heard in all Christian churches in Leisure World.

The Y Service Club provides an opportunity to put the words you hear in church into action in your neighborhood. Answering a call from someone for help, arranging for a volunteer to do the task, taking on the task, visiting for a few minutes with someone who called and was helped are ways to put God’s words into your actions. The Y Service Club needs new members to continue to help your neighbors get the little things they need done. For more information, call me at (714) 955-2885 or attend a meeting on the third Wednesday of each month at 8 a.m. in Clubhouse 3, Room 2.

Dianne Hart is president of the Y Service Club and a resident of Mutual 12.